Sports and Health: Nil Nocere (Do not Cause Harm!)

Physical Performance in Middle Age and Old Age: Good News for Our Sedentary and Aging Society by Prof. Dr. med. Dr. Sportwiss. Dieter Leyk, Dr. Sportwiss. Thomas Rüther, Dr. rer. medic. Max Wunderlich, Dipl.-Sportl. Alexander Sievert, Prof. Dr. med. Dr. Sportwiss. Dieter Eßfeld, Dr. phil. Alexander Witzki, Dr. med. Oliver Erley in volume 46/2010

The authors interpreted the results of a sample that spontaneously self-selected with increasing age (older than 45 years), from n=46 800 to n=105. They also relate the results to health initiatives, risk factors, prevention campaigns, health relevant exercise and behavioral measures. However, I did not find any mention of the contraindications to, and the cardiovascular and orthopedic adverse effects of, long distance running. I hope that interested readers have noticed the back cover page of issue 46, which advertised books such as “Sportverletzt, was jetzt? [What to do after a sports injury?]” and “Laufnebenwirkungen [adverse effects of running]”. As our ancestors said: Nil nocere [physicians should cause no harm to their patients with their actions].

DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2011.0206a

Prof. em. Dr. med. Hans-Volkhart Ulmer
Institut für Sportwissenschaft

der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität

Saarstr. 21

55099 Mainz, Germany

References

1. Leyk D, Rüther Th, Wunderlich M, et al.: Physical performance in middle age and old age: Good news for our sedentary and aging society. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2010; 107(46): 809–16.